Want to avoid rubbish cashmere this winter

[Potatoandleeek]

I need a couple of new jumpers, but have been having no luck on the high street. It seems every brand has a range of budget cashmere out, with the quality on par with the price.

I have some very nice cashmere from places like Pringle (bought from the charity shop for cheap), and the quality is worlds apart from high street cashmere. For the price I would rather have a nicer quality lambswool or merino than a lower quality cashmere, but it’s actually getting quite hard to find these alternatives.

Any recommendations? I’m prepared to spend a bit, and want something better than uniqlo type quality

Jigsaw cashmere is shit. Bobbled massively after one wear.

I rate Pure more than Boden, but love Brora but can’t really afford it!

Gant is good for jumpers. Look out for their offers though as can be pricey.

Pure bobbled on me really quickly.
I think their standards have dropped

I have two jumpers from Theory that are 90% lambswool and 10% cashmere and they are better than any cashmere I've owned. Softer than cheap high street 100% cashmere and really really thick in comparison. I'm looking out for more this year but the prices seem to have doubled since I last bought from them a few years ago.

I bought a navy boden cashmere cardigan last year and was very disappointed- compared to a few years ago the quality really got worse, and was more like merino. Therefore, wouldn't buy at full price anymore.

Lots of great ideas here, including brands I’ve not thought of looking at before for knitwear, and some I’ve forgotten about.

teta I agree that a lot of brands make items especially for TK Maxx. A few weeks ago I bought a Tahari cashmere jumper from TK and it already has a hole in it. It’s not a moth hole, more of a stress hole where the fibres have been pulled apart. I baby my clothes and also had sized up on this jumper so it was not under strain.

It’s actually what prompted me to start this thread, as it hadn’t even lasted a season. I usually manage to keep jumpers in good condition for years

I feel that cheap cashmere is a scam. So tempting to buy because of its luxury connotations, so you feel you are getting a real bargain, but the quality is so much worse than what you’d get for the same price in lambswool or merino. With that said, there’s also a lot of rubbishy quality merino around on the high street (looking at you, uniqlo)

If you ever go to Germany, the good department stores usually have their own range of cashmere and to judge by one garment, the 3-ply boyfriend cardi I bought 20 years ago, the quality is lasting; cardi is still pristine. In the sale, then, it wasn't supermarket price but it was a sensible buy because it wasn't a fashion item. The style has come and gone and come back . If it had pockets, I would love it even more.

The rest are from Uniqlo, which is cheap for cashmere and has a decent colour range. They don't wear as well as they used to though. If they had maintained the quality, the price would have risen at least 30%.

Google search is the problem; you ask for a cashmere sweater costing less than £100, and sadly there are lots of companies who would like to take the money.

Try Johnstons of Elgin. Really good quality and worth checking their sale.
I've had several of their sweaters, cashmere and lambs wool and they lasted for years without much bobbling.

I think that if you look into how we get cashmere - the underbelly of a Mongolian sheep - you begin to. realise that, if it’s not expensive, there’s something wrong.
I only buy it second hand now and I look out for Brora and some of the other, less fashionable Scottish brands.

Forgot to say I also recommend Celtic & Co for alternatives. Still expensive but not in the Brora league and a lot of it British made.

As upthread, I totally recommend Celtic and Co. I bought three merino crew necks last winter - Christmas, Birthday, O/t bonus - and they pretty much look brand new still.

As I understand it, the quality of knitwear is to do with the length of the fibres. Shorter fibres are more common, but snap more easily once knitted, and bobble. Cheaper knitwear (cashmere, merino, lambswool, cotton) uses shorter fibres, as these are often offcuts, and hence the thiner knit and tendency to bobble. The more expensive knitwear uses longer fibres, which spin into longer and stronger yarn, and that don't snap and bobble.

I remember cashmere jumpers -- even lambswool - as being a luxury product - 21st birthday kind of present. We have become far to used to cheaply produced clothing, low quality, fast fashion etc and have lost sight of the actual financial, ethical and quality cost of good clothes.

Sorry - Mongolian goat, not sheep but hopefully you get the gist.

I don’t recommend M&S

John Smedley knitwear is made in Derbyshire. Their outlet has some great pieces and they do knits in cashmere or merino or sea cotton
www.johnsmedleyoutlet.com/womens/womens-new-in-746

Boden cashmere used to be really good. Last year it got a lot worse - thinner, less soft and cheaper finish to the cardigans (no nice velvet trim).

I day not rate M&S at all, my DM has a couple of cardigans from there and they both bobbled awfully after first couple of wears. Very disappointing. Brora is the best, I've had for a few years and no bobbles, bought in the sale though! Boden from a good few years ago has been very good too. I've one from JCrew but not been that impressed with it tbh. But I do rate their tippi sweaters. Whistles have been very good, bought a few years ago hardly any bobbles and also Equipment cashmere has been great, all bought in the sales!

Not cashmere, but I got a couple of Pringle merino sweaters from TK Maxx last week - really soft and lovely colours, only 30 quid.

I don't have the patience to look after cashmere.

I’ve got 2 jumpers from M&S, both beautiful but I haven’t washed them yet.

How are you all washing your cashmere?

And I just had an email from Mango, has anyone tried their cashmere? There are a couple of jumpers I like on their website.